View Poll Results: My opinion of the announced AA - US merger is:
This is the best of all possible worlds; great idea!
33
3.93%
This portends a stronger airline, with some changes for all
192
22.88%
I am neutral - pros and cons for all
199
23.72%
I think this is a somewhat bad idea with some real challenges
226
26.94%
I am completely opposed to this merger; terrible idea!
189
22.53%
Voters: 839. You may not vote on this poll
AA - US Merger Agreement / Announcement / DOJ Action Discussion (consolidated)
Aug 21, 2013, 2:15 pm
#2251
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA EXP; UA 1k; MR Platinum; SPG Gold
Posts: 167
Maybe Texas is still bitter about losing the CO headquarters. Despite mostly CO executives taking over at the new UA (hence the term COdbaUA) and despite Illinois being generally seen as less business-friendly, Texas didn't get picked.
Or maybe Abbott just signed onto the lawsuit to influence the settlement in Texas' favor. If he doesn't participate then he will have no say, but if he is at the table he can take the role of mediator between the airlines and DOJ.
Or maybe Abbott just signed onto the lawsuit to influence the settlement in Texas' favor. If he doesn't participate then he will have no say, but if he is at the table he can take the role of mediator between the airlines and DOJ.
We recently found out that Parker purchased his house for Texas. Maybe they realized they didn't want him now....?
Can't believe we didn't come to this obvious point of speculation earlier.
Aug 21, 2013, 3:30 pm
#2252
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Aug 21, 2013, 4:23 pm
#2253
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
Programs: PA WorldPass Platinum, AA, DL, LH. GHA Black, SPG and HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,870
My take is that the Wall St analysts and various bloggers were completely blindsided by the suit and many of them have been telling us nonstop that this merger is essential to AA's success (and the success of much smaller US) and the long-term stability of the industry.
Some of them predicted smooth sailing thru the antitrust review process, and they were wrong. Of course, the government quotes Parker and Horton as saying that both are viable stand-alone airlines, so it's getting tough to tell who's being truthful and when they're being truthful.
American Airlines-US Airways Merger: Not Over Until the Fat Lady Sings
Aug 21, 2013, 5:24 pm
#2254
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,583
Well apparently some local officials in Texas and Florida aren't too happy about the lawsuit and want the merger to go through.
Rather foolishly (in my opinion), they are openly saying that they are only concerned about their states, rather than the consumers. For example, "By any stretch of the imagination, having what the press refers to as the 'World's Largest Airline' based in Texas, makes our state more competitive."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...tory?track=rss
Rather foolishly (in my opinion), they are openly saying that they are only concerned about their states, rather than the consumers. For example, "By any stretch of the imagination, having what the press refers to as the 'World's Largest Airline' based in Texas, makes our state more competitive."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...tory?track=rss
Aug 21, 2013, 5:38 pm
#2255
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: AA LT PLT 3 MM+, BA (very) Blue, CO nobody
Posts: 2,640
I think he would fit in perfectly in Texas
Aug 21, 2013, 5:50 pm
#2256
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,319
I was wrong. The total number of flights US has in TX daily is 53: 17X DFW; 15X IAH; 8X SAT; 8X AUS; 5X ELP. But there is no way that US is #2 at DFW or IAH. UA alone flies nonstop from DFW to LAX, SFO, DEN, ORD, IAH, IAD, and EWR. Then there is DL's service. And at IAH, AA flies to LAX, DFW, ORD, JFK, and MIA. And again, then there is DL's service.
Aug 21, 2013, 5:54 pm
#2257
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
Are you doubting FWAAA? Tsk Tsk.
Check out http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp
Yes, US is #2 at both airports (aggregating regionals with their mainline "parent").
Check out http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp
Yes, US is #2 at both airports (aggregating regionals with their mainline "parent").
Aug 21, 2013, 6:26 pm
#2258
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,319
Are you doubting FWAAA? Tsk Tsk.
Check out http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp
Yes, US is #2 at both airports (aggregating regionals with their mainline "parent").
Check out http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp
Yes, US is #2 at both airports (aggregating regionals with their mainline "parent").
Aug 21, 2013, 6:58 pm
#2259
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
Codeshares are deceptive; couldn't agree more. The DOT aggregates data by carriers, i.e. "certificate holders", without banning them from offering their services only through a form of code sharing ("operated by") or require them additional reporting burden of disclosing whether each flight is operated exclusively on behalf of a different certificate holder. And even this is a mess, as certain regional flights might be sold by a few different carriers (e.g. flights operated by Horizon Air and sold by AS and DL, or, using LAX-SFO, flights operated by Skywest and sold by AS).
Aug 21, 2013, 8:30 pm
#2260
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,246
Sirius was fortunate to get the DOJ and FCC to consider the merger in light of a broader market than just satellite radio and that internet radio should be considered as part of the same market given mobile internet services and radio services via them were part of the competitive landscape. US won't be able to pull that off.
Aug 21, 2013, 9:12 pm
#2261
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,583
Delta does serve LAX-SFO on mainline with a 737, although I think that might be discontinued with the introduction of the west coast "shuttle" service.
Aug 21, 2013, 9:26 pm
#2262
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AS, US, Hilton, BA, DL, SPG, AA, VS
Posts: 1,628
Rather foolishly (in my opinion), they are openly saying that they are only concerned about their states, rather than the consumers. For example, "By any stretch of the imagination, having what the press refers to as the 'World's Largest Airline' based in Texas, makes our state more competitive."
Aug 21, 2013, 9:57 pm
#2263
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP,2MM, DL Gold,Starwood PLT
Posts: 3,876
While US and AA management seem fine with not making a big public issue about a no-fly list which disrupts interstate travel for people never even arrested let alone convicted of a crime, US and AA management might make more of an issue if released drunk drivers were subject to disrupted interstate travel and restricted residence transfer options within the US. Isn't he the guy who has a history of drunk driving while employed by AA and also while employed by US? No surprise that the A-Gs in at least a couple of his historical home states don't like this merger as he comes with it.
Aug 21, 2013, 9:59 pm
#2264
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP,2MM, DL Gold,Starwood PLT
Posts: 3,876
Aug 21, 2013, 10:19 pm
#2265
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Melbourne
Programs: ►QFWP/LTG►VA WP►HyattExpl.►HiltonGold►ALL Silver
Posts: 21,997